I have been busy editing this weekend. I have checked over three short stories, determined to send them elsewhere (they have all been rejected numerous times).
Must post them tomorrow. I can hardly complain of getting nowhere if I don't send the stories in the first place.
I have also been editing the children's novel, which has been 'finished' and waiting for a final edit for some time :) (To date this story is now 12 years in the making)
Anyway, I have just found a bunch of notes, that I had mislaid some months ago, can barely even remember writing, although one page was clearly written at night in the dark, going off the diagonal scrawl of the pencil. Which leads to my new problem, some of the ideas on these notes are good. I like them, I want to put them in! Which means this story is not finished at all.
Will I ever finish it?
I have been contemplating having a copy of this novel printed, on one of the self publishing sites, just to see it in print, but have been dithering about whether it is 'ready'. I'm too afraid of uploading in case I get a flash of inspiration to add another scene here...or there...
I annoy myself so much! Grrrgh.
I think I will know when it's ready, maybe my hesitancy is just comfirmation that deep down I know it isn't ready yet.
Do you have the same worries?
About Me
- penandpaints
- Hi, welcome to my blog, I am a writer of short stories, children's and YA novels . An acceptance from People's Friend finally made me a published writer! Yeah, happy days! I have since had stories published in The Weekly News and The Last Laugh anthology. My main love is writing children's/YA novels...I'm now enduring a fruitless search for an agent... I also draw and paint, I like to draw animals (usually my adorable crazy cats!)Occasionally famous people and motorcycles.
Sometimes it is very hard to judge if something is ready. Were you happy with it before you found your extra notes? I often find myself doing endless twiddling and tweaking. Could you get someone else to read through it for you for a second opinion? x
ReplyDeleteHi Teresa
ReplyDeleteThat's good advice, I've got my daughter on the case! (she's very critical) :)
x
Hi Pen and paints. Are you on youwriteon.com? The people on there are very good I find. Sometimes people close to us are either kind or too critical. You need someone who doesn't know you. Good luck, it must be nearly ready.xx
ReplyDeleteHi Susan
DeleteThank you, I am determined to finish it this month! x
Beautiful Penandpaints!! I say listen to your gut instinct and trust yourself. You KNOW what's good and what doesn't work for your stories. For weeks now I was stuck in my chapter 10. I couldn't go forwards. I couldn't understand why. I read and re- read and read again until yesterday, I bit the bullet and swiped a couple of paras I loved. Et voila! Suddenly my chapter 10 came alive. It was these two paras that stopped everything but I was so reluctant to see this because I loved them so much!
ReplyDeleteThen again I sort of agree with susanjanjones too. Maybe get a complete stranger to assess your story?
GOOD LUCK!!! Take care
x
Hi!!
DeleteI should know best. I am putting the ideas in. I decided.
Well done you, how brave of you to take out a bit you loved, but I'm glad it worked out so well!
I have a file 'deleted scenes' for those bits that I don't wont to let go completely!
Thank you!
x
I could edit forever, and continually think of new ideas or better phrases or threads for a story/novel - even after it’s published. It’s so hard to know when to let go isn’t it? Good luck when you do! X
ReplyDeleteHi Amanda
DeleteIt is really hard to say 'yeah that's it, all done!'
Hopefully soon :)
Thank you x
People who don't write don't always realise just how much time is needed for the editing stage. I have non-writing friends who think I just throw off a story and that's it. (If only!) Often I find myself hovering over the question of whether a story is ready to go. And it is hard to decide that, because sometimes you can lose the initial freshness of the idea by over-editing.
ReplyDeleteHi Joanne
DeleteAbsolutely - if only it were so easy!!
x
I really sympathise, penandpaints. The editing process can be enjoyable, but it never seems to end. On the one hand, the endless adjustments could make all the difference. But on the other, some of the raw emotion can get lost. When I read through mine, if I find myself saying, 'What does that mean? I don't get it?', then it definitely needs changing. However, there's no way of knowing if the bits I really like might seem silly or twee or irrelevant to the reader.
ReplyDeleteI try to imagine just one person reading it and then write it for that person. It doesn't have to be anyone real, just a normal person who wants to be entertained. And I keep asking myself, 'Will they still be enjoying it at this point? Are they getting bored now?' If I think they might just put it aside because it's fallen flat, I have a break from editing and let my mind mull over the possibilities for improvement. That's when the washing gets done or the beds get made!
I love your idea of having one copy self-published, just to see whether it feels ready yet. I might follow that idea when this editing process finally seems to be over. Like you, I have found scrawled notes and don't know whether to use them or not.
I can't bring myself to show mine to anyone. I'm too scared they might say it's a total waste of time. But I do run some of my worries and concerns about it past Hubby. He is good at giving solid, down-to-earth advice and being very honest. For example, he couldn't believe I had a woman happily and safely managing to sail from Germany to England in the middle of the war. I don't know how I thought I'd get away with that, but it's funny how many strange things characters will do when your mind is caught up with the needs of the whole book!
Very best of luck and I hope you finish the editing very soon. I bet it won't be long now. x
How frustrating in a way to find the notes after thinking the novel was complete! But we always think we can improve on our writing - even after publication, so definitely go with your instincts and get it sent out at least for an independent read.
ReplyDeleteI know exactly what you mean. I've got a short story collection ready for Kindle - all have been previously published and still I dither. It's scary to put stuff out where people can read it. But you're a terrific writer - give it one last polish, take a deep breath and send it. Then start on something new.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm keeping fingers crossed for those short stories. xx